Liverpool FC Forum

[Paul C]

He says he's told the club he's leaving, he's a cracking player and on a free he'd be a good choice imo 

[EddieC]

Any source for that?

He was available on a free last summer too, and no-one wanted to take him. He looks like a handy player but something must be up firstly for Barca not to want a fee and secondly for no-one to take him for nothing.

[destro]

Hes available on a bosman so they cant ask for a fee

[adamnbarrett]

Barca have also signed Argentine striker Palacio recently as a replacement.

here's an article from sky sports:

Javier Saviola has confirmed that he will leave Barcelona this summer, but will not announce where he will go until the end of the Spanish league season.

The Argentinian striker has been linked with a move to several clubs, including Liverpool, Valencia, Real Zaragoza and Real Madrid, and is set to study all his available options.

After enjoying a fruitful first three seasons at Barca, Saviola's time at Camp Nou turned sour in 2004 when Frank Rijkaard decided he was no longer part of his plans.

Having opted to return for the final year of his current contract after two seasons out on loan, the 25-year-old is now preparing to depart the club for good.

"I consider that my career at Barcelona is finished, but I am trying to go out in the best possible manner," Saviola told La Nacion. "Barca is no longer my first choice.

"My relationship with the club is not the same as it was two years ago. Things with the board have never been clear."

Barca promised that they would make Saviola the offer of a new deal, but when it arrived the basic salary was considerably less than his existing contract.

That sent a clear signal that he was not wanted and despite having said that he would consider the proposal, it is quite clear that Saviola was not impressed.

"In June I will be a free agent and then, at the end of the season, I will give Barca an answer on their offer," Saviola added.

"I have to listen to the European clubs that have shown an interest in me. There are several offers on the table. I prefer not to speak about individual clubs or which country until a deal has been made.

"It will probably all be resolved before the start of the Copa America."

[BOODIDDY]

ballague and armstrong said last week that he was set for real madrid. so i don't think we ahve a chance. don't think we really need him to be honest. Are we just gonna fill the squad up with journey men or do we want a compact squad of quality players? i'd rather have the latter.

[EddieC]

Hes available on a bosman so they cant ask for a fee

They were willing to let him go for nothing last summer though, and there were no takers. Just a bit curious as to why?

[RUSHIE#9]

Lightning pace and a reasonably good eye for goal but I just don't know whether he'd stand up to the brute force adopted by a lot of teams in the premiership. He's of a similar size to Owen (probably more like Owen when he first got into the liverpool team) which does help him to wriggle his way through defences but aerially he's pretty much useless.
His scoring record in spain is very good but not always prolific so may not be what we're looking for as a main striker. If we didn't have Voronin already coming in he could have been a very good option, especially on a free.

[EddieC]

Lightning pace and a reasonably good eye for goal but I just don't know whether he'd stand up to the brute force adopted by a lot of teams in the premiership. He's of a similar size to Owen (probably more like Owen when he first got into the liverpool team) which does help him to wriggle his way through defences but aerially he's pretty much useless.
His scoring record in spain is very good but not always prolific so may not be what we're looking for as a main striker. If we didn't have Voronin already coming in he could have been a very good option, especially on a free.

Definately a better option than Voronin on paper.

Now we have him on a pre-contract, would we have to pay Voronin compensation if we changed our minds?

[RUSHIE#9]

Hes available on a bosman so they cant ask for a fee

They were willing to let him go for nothing last summer though, and there were no takers. Just a bit curious as to why?

Probably his wage demands. Joan Gaspart, the last president of Barca who signed him put him on a ridiculously high wage and stupidly long term contract. In fact I think I'd be right in saying that it made some of the contracts Houllier handed out look like loan deals payed off in peanuts. 

[account deleted by request]

He looked a great player in Argentina, but even when paired with Kluivert in the traditional "little and large " combo has never really hit it off since. I would pass on him now and go for the best player we can get rather than the cheaper option.

[Penguins]

He is actually a great little player, but his wage demands will be way too much even if he is a bosman.
can't see us offering 70-90,000/week which he wants.

Same reason why I can't see Owen coming.
Rafa sees him as rotation player and will not give 50,000+ and I know Owen wants to be the main man and will not settle for such a salary.

[Elchris]

i thought he was heading for real madrid.... but seriously if do not have funds that we need , we can use him as a cheap yet quality alternative

he really is a very decent players....can score goals..!! natural born goalscorer...!!

[The Specialist]

Barca have also signed Argentine striker Palacio recently as a replacement.

Barcelona are CLOSE to signing Palacio. They haven't singed him yet, as about 3 clubs own a part of his transfer and some parties aren't happy with the money they would get. This is causing problems, and Barcelona might possibly walk away from the deal..

Last I heard anyway. Maybe something has been confirmed, and I don't know..


Anyway, Saviola wouldn't be a bad signing. I would be disappointed if he was the only striker we signed, though.

[LFC2007]

He is actually a great little player, but his wage demands will be way too much even if he is a bosman.
can't see us offering 70-90,000/week which he wants.

Same reason why I can't see Owen coming.
Rafa sees him as rotation player and will not give 50,000+ and I know Owen wants to be the main man and will not settle for such a salary.

I don't think clubs would pay £70-90k a week for him in any case, therefore he would have to settle for less.

We don't know how much he wants because we haven't asked him, we know his contract at Barca was huge, but if there isn't as much demand for his services then he won't get that kind of money any more -from anyone.

I don't understand how you think Rafa sees Owen as a rotation player?

How do you know this, and how do you know Owen would not settle for this?

How do you know Rafa would not offer him more than 50k p/w?

[Barca Murph]

Ok i shall give you abit of a summary on the person i hate the most as a Barca player.

First of all, avoid Saviola like the plague. He's just a mercenary interested in money, he won't care one bit about Liverpool or it's fans, just how much he could milk you for.

It all started when he was signed by Louis van Gaal (he wasted alot of money). He was offered an absolutely ridiculous contract as he was at the time the next big thing, and duly signed. Then a new board comes in, after things had gotten messy financially at Barca, and players were asked if they could take a pay cut in order to help the club through a differcult patch. All players agreed bar one, Saviola
So he fell out with president Laporta and was sent out on loan. First he was sent to Monaco and then Sevilla the following season. Due to the huge salary he was on, Barca had to pay part of his wages even while he was out on loan. He then came back to the club with a year left on his contract, and Barca decided they didn't want to loan him out again paying part wages and then lose him for nothing. So they looked to sell him, and there were quite a few people willing to buy him. But none of them were prepared to pay the silly wages he was on at Barca, so he chose to turn everyone down. So then Barca got desperate to offload him, so offered him to clubs on a free transfer, but again even with no fee his wages provided a stumbling block. 

So he has spent the season at Barca pretty much as the 5th striker. He's put money before his career on more than one occassion, and IMO has wasted it. Barca made him an offer they knew he would refuse when they offered him a new contract. It was abit of an insult to offer it, but one that he totally deserved.

The quicker he is kicked out the club the better, and that isn't too long now